For several years, I’ve been thinking about how to help new yoga teachers get their teaching practices off the ground. Teachers spend a lot of time and a lot of money to get their certifications so that they can share this practice with others. Training programs don’t have a lot of time to teach yoga teachers the skills to secure teaching jobs because they need to focus most of their efforts on training teachers to properly care for their students with strong alignment, safe sequencing, and proper technique. Furthermore, it can be tough for new teachers to get the experience needed to get a studio teaching slot and it’s tough to get a studio teaching slot without the experience.
As an MBA with 14 years of business experience and an experienced yoga and meditation teacher, I can fill this gap to help get new yoga teachers started on their teaching path. I put together a training course to provide business know-how to yoga teachers.
Option 1:
A kit to craft their mission statement, find their market, write a one page business plan, and put together a course of action for their first year as teachers to reach exactly the kind of student they want to teach. Price – $25
Option 2:
Everything in option 1 plus Skype sessions to walk them through the kit as well as give new teachers advice and resources to set up their business: how to incorporate, taxes, basic accounting, expense tracking, and marketing assistance including basic website set up. Price – $200
Option 3:
Everything in options 1 and 2 plus in-person sessions with me, a regular teaching slot in the Compass Yoga teaching roster to start earning their hours toward the Yoga Alliance 500-hour certification teaching requirement, tracking of teaching hours in Yoga Alliance format, and a selection of other goodies to help jump-start a new business. Price – $500
The short of it:
Writer. Health, education, and art advocate. Theater and film producer. Visual artist. Product geek. Proud alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA). Inspired by ancient wisdom & modern tech. Proliferator of goodness. Opener of doors. Friend to animals. Fan of creative work in all its wondrous forms. I use my business skills to create passion projects that build a better world. I’ve been called the happiest New Yorker, and I try hard to live up to that title every day.
The long of it:
My career has stretched across Capitol Hill, Broadway theatre, education, nonprofit fundraising, health and wellness, and Fortune 500 companies in retail, media, entertainment, technology, and financial services. I’ve been a product developer and product manager, theater manager, strategic consultant, marketer, voice over artist, , teacher, and fundraiser. I use my business and storytelling to support and sustain passion projects that build a better world. In every experience, I’ve used my sense of and respect for elegant design to develop meaningful products, services, programs, and events.
While building a business career, I also built a strong portfolio as a journalist, novelist, freelance writer, interviewer, presenter, and public speaker. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, PBS.org, Boston.com, Royal Media Partners publications, and The Motley Fool on a wide range of topics including business, technology, science, health, education, culture, and lifestyle. I have also been an invited speaker at SXSW, Teach for America, Avon headquarters, Games for Change, NYU, Columbia University, Hunter College, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The first book in my young adult book series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was acquired by a publisher and launched in November 2017. I’m currently working on the second book in the series.
A recovering multi-tasker, I’m equally at home in front of my Mac, on my yoga mat, walking my rescue dog, Phineas, traveling with a purpose, or practicing the high-art of people watching. I also cut up small bits of paper and put them back together as a collage artist.
My company:
I’m bringing together all of my business and creative career paths as the Founder of Double or Nothing Media:
• I craft products, programs, and projects that make a difference;
• I build the business plans that make what I craft financially sustainable;
• I tell the stories that matter about the people, places, and products that inspire me.
Follow my adventures on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc and Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc.
View all posts by Christa Avampato
2 thoughts on “Leap: My Business Course for Yoga Teachers”
great idea; great description; good pricing. I just got certified as yoga teacher through David Vendetti at South Boston Yoga. If I were interested in teaching; I would see this as a very useful investment. I am not going to teach; I did the training for myself. I started taking yoga classes 2.5 years ago, and have gone almost every day. Yoga has really changed my life and I have a deep appreciation of all it can do. I am 60 years old and have a satisfying, financially stable job as an Occupational Therapist. I plan to retire in 5 years; and may look you up; as I may be interested in teaching then. Thanks and I hope for your success and all yoga teachers out there.
Thank you so much, Marcia. I know a number of people who go through teacher training to grow their own practice and I think that’s a wonderful way to do it. Good for you! If any of your teacher training classmates are interested in teaching, please feel free to send them my way. Namaste.
Christa Avampato 
great idea; great description; good pricing. I just got certified as yoga teacher through David Vendetti at South Boston Yoga. If I were interested in teaching; I would see this as a very useful investment. I am not going to teach; I did the training for myself. I started taking yoga classes 2.5 years ago, and have gone almost every day. Yoga has really changed my life and I have a deep appreciation of all it can do. I am 60 years old and have a satisfying, financially stable job as an Occupational Therapist. I plan to retire in 5 years; and may look you up; as I may be interested in teaching then. Thanks and I hope for your success and all yoga teachers out there.
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Thank you so much, Marcia. I know a number of people who go through teacher training to grow their own practice and I think that’s a wonderful way to do it. Good for you! If any of your teacher training classmates are interested in teaching, please feel free to send them my way. Namaste.
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